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The living evidence base for romance scam research

Find the studies, inspect the evidence, understand what is known, and see the questions that still need answers.

We do not host documents. All items link to publisher or repository pages.

Research corpus at a glance

Approved publications
231
Living syntheses
7
Quality-cleared synopses
231
Corpus updated

How RSRC Uses AI

AI helps RSRC organize and summarize research. Outputs may contain errors; verify findings in the linked original source.

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See what the evidence says

Read living syntheses that connect findings across publications and identify uncertainties and research gaps.

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Research Insights

Synthesis and analysis across the corpus

Corpus-level findings that connect evidence across multiple publications and make uncertainties and research gaps visible.

Living Evidence Synthesis

Attack Methods and Offender Strategies

Attack Methods and Offender Strategies: How Offenders Identify, Approach, Groom, Deceive, and Exploit Targets

Across the reviewed evidence, relationship‑based online fraud is described as a staged interactional sequence in which offenders (a) prepare a lure (profile), (b) initiate contact and screen targets, (c) build rapport through repeated personalized interactions and micro‑tactics,...

Publications:
29
Evidence statements:
302
Read the living evidence synthesis
Living Evidence Synthesis

Prevention and Intervention

Prevention and Intervention for Relationship‑Based Online Fraud (Prevention, Intervention, Awareness)

The reviewed evidence supports a stage‑aware prevention frame for relationship‑based scams: offenders commonly build rapport and trust before requesting money, and many recognition cues are noticed only after financial loss. Prevention therefore requires stage‑targeted education...

Publications:
27
Evidence statements:
107
Read the living evidence synthesis

Research Library

Recently curated publications

Individual studies and reports recently added to the approved collection.

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The Cryptocurrency and Digital Asset Fraud Casebook

The Cryptocurrency and Digital Asset Fraud Casebook, published in 2023 by Jason Scharfman, presents a structured survey of fraud and crime in the crypto and digital-asset space through a broad set of case studies. The wo...

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Understanding the state of criminological scholarship on cybercrimes

This publication is a review of criminological research on cybercrimes, examining how scholars have studied hacking, malware, fraud, piracy, and related offenses that are economically motivated or involve data, finances,...

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Safeguarding Retirement in the Age of Scams

This publication presents a research-based overview of how scams threaten retirement security for older adults and what retirement-plan ecosystems can do to reduce exposure and harm. It situates fraud as a large-scale, e...

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Romance Scams

The publication provides a concise, source-grounded overview of online romance scams, tracing their evolution over roughly two decades into a multifaceted cybercrime. It frames romance scams as social-engineering exploit...

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Romance Scam Statistics 2024-2026: verified, source-attributed figures from FBI...

This publication compiles official figures from government and industry sources to describe romance scam activity in 2024–2026, focusing on reported losses and case counts in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia,...

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Cybercrime over Internet Love Scams in Malaysia: A Discussion on the Theoretical...

This publication investigates Internet love scams in Malaysia, aiming to understand the ethical and social dynamics that drive the crime and to discuss potential responses. It frames the issue through four theoretical le...

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Cybercrime through love scams: what women should know?

This publication presents a conceptual study that examines cybercrime through love scams, with a focus on women as a potentially vulnerable group. It situates the issue within broader technological and societal changes,...

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About RSRC

Built to make romance scam research usable

Founded by LD Herrera, PhD, RSRC organizes romance scam scholarship into a searchable public library and living evidence syntheses for researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and the public.

Learn about RSRC and its founder